Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
System development manager salary
Average system development manager salary
$122,528
Understanding System Development Manager Salaries
The position of system development manager is integral to the success of an organization, responsible for leading teams and managing software projects. As of October 2025, the average salary for this role stands at $122,528 per year, translating to approximately $59 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, industry, and years of experience.
Salary Variation by State
In states like California and New York, system development managers typically earn higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for tech talent. For instance, those in California can expect salaries reaching or exceeding $140,000, making it one of the highest-paying states for this profession.
Opportunities for Advancement
As technology continues to evolve, the need for skilled system development managers is growing. Many companies are willing to offer competitive salaries to attract top talent, creating a robust job market. Furthermore, specialization in areas such as cloud computing or cybersecurity can lead to even higher earning potential.
Conclusion
Whether you are just starting your career or looking to advance, the role of system development manager offers numerous opportunities for growth and success in the tech industry.
Let Zippia find your next system development manager job
Let Zippia find your next system development manager job
Where can a System Development Manager earn more?
System development manager salary estimates from across the web
Average system development manager salary by state
The average system development manager salary in Washington, California, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average system development manager salary states are North Dakota, Iowa, and Missouri.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for system development managers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $146,544 | $70.45 |
| 2 | Oregon | $129,290 | $62.16 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $119,536 | $57.47 |
| 4 | Alaska | $124,825 | $60.01 |
| 5 | Nevada | $120,114 | $57.75 |
| 6 | California | $135,000 | $64.90 |
| 7 | New York | $132,407 | $63.66 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $119,893 | $57.64 |
| 9 | Kentucky | $119,747 | $57.57 |
| 10 | Texas | $115,103 | $55.34 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $123,135 | $59.20 |
| 12 | Arizona | $115,999 | $55.77 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $126,548 | $60.84 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $117,997 | $56.73 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $113,980 | $54.80 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $119,148 | $57.28 |
| 17 | Utah | $114,100 | $54.86 |
| 18 | South Carolina | $117,363 | $56.42 |
| 19 | Michigan | $113,268 | $54.46 |
| 20 | Georgia | $113,495 | $54.56 |
| 21 | West Virginia | $114,717 | $55.15 |
| 22 | Hawaii | $118,331 | $56.89 |
| 23 | Virginia | $114,057 | $54.84 |
| 24 | Illinois | $116,854 | $56.18 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $113,486 | $54.56 |
| 26 | Delaware | $118,295 | $56.87 |
| 27 | Ohio | $111,101 | $53.41 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $109,531 | $52.66 |
| 29 | Idaho | $114,818 | $55.20 |
| 30 | Indiana | $111,438 | $53.58 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $111,233 | $53.48 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $109,296 | $52.55 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $109,411 | $52.60 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $112,671 | $54.17 |
| 35 | Florida | $109,991 | $52.88 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $108,114 | $51.98 |
| 37 | Vermont | $110,040 | $52.90 |
| 38 | Kansas | $107,713 | $51.79 |
| 39 | Maine | $110,557 | $53.15 |
| 40 | Maryland | $108,521 | $52.17 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $98,222 | $47.22 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $99,858 | $48.01 |
| 43 | Colorado | $110,730 | $53.24 |
| 44 | Montana | $109,377 | $52.59 |
| 45 | Connecticut | $108,757 | $52.29 |
| 46 | Alabama | $103,039 | $49.54 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $98,146 | $47.19 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $105,155 | $50.56 |
| 49 | Missouri | $99,101 | $47.64 |
| 50 | Iowa | $99,467 | $47.82 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $97,632 | $46.94 |
Highest paying cities for system development managers
The highest-paying cities for system development managers are Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $147,783 | $71.05 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $143,367 | $68.93 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $132,438 | $63.67 |
| 4 | Beaverton, OR | $129,427 | $62.22 |
| 5 | Jersey City, NJ | $126,696 | $60.91 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $119,133 | $57.28 |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV | $118,944 | $57.18 |
| 8 | Charlotte, NC | $117,612 | $56.54 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $116,987 | $56.24 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $116,152 | $55.84 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $115,104 | $55.34 |
| 12 | Arlington, VA | $114,540 | $55.07 |
| 13 | Alpharetta, GA | $113,373 | $54.51 |
| 14 | Jacksonville, FL | $110,683 | $53.21 |
| 15 | Denver, CO | $110,626 | $53.19 |
| 16 | Hartford, CT | $108,762 | $52.29 |
| 17 | Baltimore, MD | $108,608 | $52.22 |
| 18 | Minneapolis, MN | $108,083 | $51.96 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $99,779 | $47.97 |
| 20 | San Juan, PR | $77,919 | $37.46 |
System development manager salary details
A system development manager's salary ranges from $96,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $156,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a system development manager's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $156,000 | $13,000 | $75 |
| 75th Percentile | $139,000 | $11,583 | $67 |
| Average | $122,528 | $10,211 | $59 |
| 25th Percentile | $107,000 | $8,917 | $51 |
| 10th Percentile | $96,000 | $8,000 | $46 |
Highest paying system development manager jobs
The highest paying types of system development managers are director of software development, senior development manager, and information systems manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manager, Systems Engineering | $130,127 | $10,844 | $62.56 | 174,962 |
| Project Manager/Team Lead | $106,977 | $8,915 | $51.43 | 172,739 |
| Information Systems Director | $130,822 | $10,902 | $62.89 | 128,575 |
| Manager | $58,651 | $4,888 | $28.20 | 1,236,194 |
| Manager Applications Development | $123,527 | $10,294 | $59.39 | 181,768 |
| Data Manager | $108,359 | $9,030 | $52.10 | 147,574 |
Top companies hiring system development managers now:
Which companies pay system development managers the most?
System development manager salaries at Apple and Amazon are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average system development manager salary at companies like H-E-B and Bloomberg are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $157,600 | $75.77 |
| 2 | Amazon | $149,525 | $71.89 |
| 3 | H-E-B | $145,959 | $70.17 |
| 4 | Bloomberg | $145,129 | $69.77 |
| 5 | Williams Sonoma | $138,258 | $66.47 |
| 6 | Lendlease | $136,050 | $65.41 |
| 7 | Intel | $135,229 | $65.01 |
| 8 | PGIM | $135,188 | $64.99 |
| 9 | Smartsheet | $134,288 | $64.56 |
| 10 | AIG | $131,896 | $63.41 |
| 11 | Citrix | $131,748 | $63.34 |
| 12 | Thales | $130,776 | $62.87 |
| 13 | Lexmark | $130,731 | $62.85 |
| 14 | Slice, Inc. | $129,962 | $62.48 |
| 15 | The Prudential Insurance Company of America, Inc. | $126,844 | $60.98 |
| 16 | Motion Recruitment | $125,828 | $60.49 |
| 17 | CARFAX | $125,573 | $60.37 |
| 18 | Affiliated Computer Services | $125,174 | $60.18 |
| 19 | Xerox State Healthcare LLC | $123,855 | $59.55 |
| 20 | Prudential Financial | $123,058 | $59.16 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
System Development Manager salary by industry
The average system development manager salary varies across industries:
- The average system development manager salary in the technology industry is $137,524, the highest of any industry.
- The average system development manager salary in the finance industry is $128,699.
- System development managers in the automotive industry earn an average salary of $118,269, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for system development managers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $137,524 | $66.12 |
| 2 | Finance | $128,699 | $61.87 |
| 3 | Retail | $127,745 | $61.42 |
| 4 | Insurance | $126,430 | $60.78 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $119,844 | $57.62 |
| 6 | Automotive | $118,269 | $56.86 |
High paying system development manager jobs
System development manager salary trends
The average system development manager salary has risen by $26,864 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average system development manager earned $95,664 annually, but today, they earn $122,528 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for system development managers over the last decade.
Compare system development manager salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average system development manager salary over time
Compare system development manager salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
System development manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $123,000 | $58.91 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $119,000 | $57.04 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $116,000 | $55.55 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $113,000 | $54.26 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $110,000 | $52.93 | +3.1% |
Recently added system development manager salaries
System development manager salary FAQs
Search for system development manager jobs